The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite 4
'The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite 4' (Baby, I'll Be Your Frankenstein) is the fourth issue of ''The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite. Published on December 19, 2007, it was written by Gerard Way with art by Gabriel Bá. Synopsis While The Umbrella Academy reconnects over the death of their father, a displaced sibling finds her next fix-in music. The influence of music transforms the lost member of the team; the family that rejected her will realize just how profoundly they underestimated their powerless sister. Conceived and written by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, Umbrella Academy features interior art by Eisner Award-nominated artist Gabriel Bá (De:Tales), colors by Eisner Award-winning colorist Dave Stewart, and covers by multiple Eisner Award-winning painter James Jean (Fables). Plot At the Umbrella Academy mansion, eighteen years before the present day, Number Seven runs down the hall, screaming that she hates Hargreeve’s and doesn’t belong there. Dr. Pogo asks her why she’s upset; she tells him that she doesn’t have any special abilities like the others. Pogo tells her that she’s not like the others because she doesn’t have to destroy things to prove who she is. At the Icarus Theatre in the present day, Vanya lies on an operating table overseen by the Conductor of the Orchestra Verdammten. Vanya is beginning to panic as the Conductor’s underlings hook-up various machines. The Conductor explains that he secretly obtained Hargreeves’ notes on Vanya, which revealed that she is the most powerful and dangerous member of the Umbrella Academy. The Conductor tells Vanya that Hargreeves had discovered how to unlock her true potential, and the Conductor is going to use her potential to perform the Apocalypse Suite and destroy the world. The Conductor activates the machine connected to Vanya’s body and she is bombarded by energy. Elsewhere in the City, Number Five and Dr. Pogo use levitator belts to fly around in search of clues. Number Five tells Pogo to keep an eye out for burning buildings, explosions, people on fire, anything that would indicate the start of the apocalypse. Pogo asks Number Five if he ever had reason to question his sanity after spending fifty years in isolation. Number Five tells Pogo that he had considered that, but decided that he had to act as if the threat is real, just in case. He tells Pogo that even though the people of Earth have accused Hargreeves and the Umbrella Academy of repeatedly raising false alarms, he has to try to save the world. Vanya is undergoing a transformation at the hands of the Conductor. Vanya feels immense pain but it begins to feel pleasurable. In a fever dream Vanya wishes to tell her brothers and sisters that she’s sorry. The Conductor orders the voltage turned up and the transfusion is completed. Vanya tells the Conductor that she hears a sound like angels suffocating, and it is beautiful. Spaceboy, Allison, and Klaus arrive back at the Umbrella Academy in the Televator. Spaceboy calls out Allison for freezing under pressure. They run into the Kraken, just arrived home as well, tending to his injuries, and Spaceboy points out that if he would work as part of the team he probably wouldn’t get hurt as much. The Kraken questions Spaceboy’s leadership and Spaceboy accuses the Kraken of acting out because their father didn’t love them. The Kraken counters that Spaceboy is still trying to prove himself to their father, even after they laid him to rest. Spaceboy tells the Kraken that he’s been pretending that Vanya loved him. The Kraken storms off without another word, and Spaceboy tells the others he’s leaving as well to go on patrol. Allison tells Spaceboy that he can’t go alone and she and Klaus are going with him. At a diner in the City, Number Five and Dr. Pogo order coffee. Number Five has spoken to the press about the imminent destruction of Earth, but they take little heed as a result of the Umbrella Academy’s many false alarms in the past. Three men in yellow jumpsuits bearing the word “TEMPOS” and multiple watches a piece enter the diner and ask for the one called Number Five. Number Five asks who wants to know. At the Icarus Theatre, the Conductor of the Orchestra Verdammten grandstands before his assembled musicians. The Conductor introduces his orchestra to his new creation, the White Violin. Vanya emerges onto the stage from behind a curtain, her body transformed by the Conductor’s work based on Hargreeves’ notes. She now resembles the white violin handed to her by one of the damned musicians. Vanya sets her instrument at the ready. She puts the bow to the strings, and with a single, quiet note, the Conductor is torn in half, the two halves of his body crumpling to the floor. Vanya faces the other orchestra members and addresses them, telling them to gather their instruments and prepare to destroy the Umbrella Academy and the world. Appearances 4